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Bread in a Bag
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This is a great activity that incorporates math skills, reading, health and hands-on manipulative skills.

Materials Needed

1. Bread making kits, one per three students. *

2. Two measuring cups for dry ingredients.

3. Bowl scraper.

4. Bowls or pitchers for warm water.

5. Permanent markers.

6. Bread Recipe, one per child.

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Ingredients
(Makes 3 mini loaves)

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 package active dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1-1/4 cups warm water (105-115 degrees)

*Bread Kits can be put together in advance depending on the age of students.

1. Two gallon, heavy-duty freezer bags, one per three students, with twist ties.

2. Quart size zip-lock bags, one per three students, with two cups of all-purpose flour.

3. Quart size zip lock bags, one per three students, with two cups whole wheat flour.

4. Two teaspoons salt in a disposable container such as baggie or paper cup. One per three students.

5. One package active dry yeast. One per three students.

6. Two tablespoons sugar in disposable cup or bag–one per three students.

7. One tablespoon vegetable oil in disposable cup–one per three students.

8. Disposable mini-loaf pans, 5x3 inches–one per student.

9. One gallon plastic bag–one per student for transporting bread home.

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Advance Preparation

1. Contact kitchen personnel to schedule use of baking ovens. If school doesn’t have kitchen facilities, time activity so that bread has been mixed and placed in a pan and can be carried home at the end of the day in a plastic bag. By the time students get home, bread should be ready to bake, or it can be refrigerated until later.

2. Contact room parents for assistance with making up bread kits ahead of time and with classroom management during activity.

3. Have children wash hands thoroughly.

4. Assign student to groups of three and push tables or desks together to make a work surface.

5. Cover work surface with wax paper secured with tape.

6. Fill large bowls or pitchers with warm water (105 to 115 degrees).

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Activity

This activity takes about 2½ hours from start until the bread is baked, cooled and ready to take home. After about one hour there will be a 1½ hour period for regular class activity while bread is rising, baking and cooling.

1. Pass out bread kits–one per three students. Have them place kits on work area.

2. Have students write their name on the outside bottom of their bread pan with a permanent marker.

3. Have students measure out ½ cup all-purpose white flour and put in large two gallon plastic bag. To this, add the yeast and approximately ½ the sugar. Have one child from each group bring the bag up to the bowl of warm water and with adult supervision measure out ½ cup water into bag.

4. Force air out of bag and close bag with twist tie. Hold top of bag with one hand while mixing ingredients with the other. Caution students that bag can break if mishandled. Mix until completely blended; let rest 15 minutes.

5. Students can now add to the dough the remaining sugar, whole wheat flour, oil, salt, and 1 cup of remaining all-purpose flour and 3/4 cup warm water (105-115 degrees).

6. Have students thoroughly mix dough in the plastic bag until it pulls away from the bag— about 5 minutes.

7. Have students lightly flour their hands and work surface. Turn plastic bag inside out and remove dough. Save bag for later use.

8. Using bowl scraper or knife, have adult divide dough into 3 equal parts.

9. Students should knead dough (fold, push, pull, turn) for five minutes. Not all remaining flour should be needed. Use enough to keep dough from sticking to hands and work surface. Don’t use too much or bread will be dry and low volume.

10. Cover kneaded dough with plastic bag and let rest for 10 minutes.

11. While dough is resting, have students oil inside bottom and sides of pans.

12. After 10 minutes, have students shape the dough for the pans. Have them press the dough out flat with fingertips in a 4x6 inch rectangle. Beginning at short end, roll rectangle up like a sleeping bag. Pinch the edge to the rest of the dough forming a seam. Fold over two ends and pinch. Place dough, seam side down in pan. Cover with plastic bag and let rise until doubled, about 45 to 60 minutes.

13. If baking at school, ask kitchen personnel to preheat oven to 350-375 degrees for convection oven or 400 for conventional oven.

14. Bake in preheated oven 15-18 minutes for convection oven; 30-35 minutes in conventional oven.

15. While bread is baking, clean up and continue with regular classroom activities.

16. After bread is done, remove from pans and let cool on wire racks 15 to 20 minutes. If bread is not removed from pans, it will become soggy. Be sure to place each loaf next to its pan as it cools so loaves don’t get mixed up.

17. Place loaves in plastic bags for students to take home.

ENJOY !!!!

For additional information contact Tad Duncan at (254) 751-2608
or E-mail: Tad Duncan

 

 

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